Friday, 8 March 2013

Well I can't say I would blame you for abandoning this terrible blogger. I could apologise for me absence of late but that's getting a bit boring now so I won't make excuses or anything like that. I just haven't had the inclination to blog up until this point. But now I am here and spent five hours this morning catching up with everyone!! Original plan for today was to get some things done down the allotment but the weather is foggy and wet so this was the next best plan!

Surprise carrot harvest.

I have managed to get a few bits done down the allotment with a little tidying and also a little digging but I have to admit that it hasn't been a lot of work carried out. I did also bring my seed home to sort through several weeks ago now and they still sit in their nice little tin. I am definitely going to be going through them this weekend though...after all if I don't soon get sorted out I will never have anything to harvest come summer.

Leeks, and hopefully parsnips and celeriac.

Whilst up the allotment I did a bit of checking and took a few photo for you, still none of the new site for the bees but the other two plots are looking quite good for the time of year. Garlic has had 100% germination rate which has pleased me. However none of the broad beans have survived over the winter so I will be sowing some more very soon. Leeks are looking good and I am sure there will be some nice parsnips under the ground (or is that hoping??) You can see the celeriac...will have to lift it to see if leaving it in did me any good!

Brassicas look a little weary.

The brassicas at the other end of the plot aren't looking so great now. They have been slaughtered by the birds and the brussels never did form those tight little buds we like to eat. I think maybe I work the land too much for the brussels so will try a different st5rategy for them this year and see if it makes a difference. I will soon be harvesting the good greens and composting the rest. the P.S.B. is just starting to show although not much this year ..maybe this means we will enjoy it even more!

So things aren't too bad but then they aren't great. I still have potatoes to remove before I can get other things in the ground and I can' say I'm hoping to get anything form these but considering what I did mange to dig up last year I don't think I have missed out on anything there. On other news, we had our A.G.M. last week. It was quit4 a nice turn out. I am still a committee member. The only major change was the secretary and then a couple of new people joined the committee too. Rent rates were set with water reduced by 50% over last year due to the wet year we had. If it is dry this year obviously it will go back up again. The allotment shop has opened up again and we are now selling seeds at very cheap rates. This is a first trial year but I think great idea as you can by small quantities and they will be on hand if you just want a few extras.

I made a decision on my front garden. I am going to seed it back to grass. What I forgot to mention in my post was that my garden is on a slope and I was worried about the soil washing out in heavy rain so I think this will be the best idea. Also will be easier to mow. Haven't decided what I'm going to put in the front bed yet this year...that I will have to wait and see on for now as going through the seeds for the allotment is becoming rather urgent.

The weather has been really up and down here...just when you are lulled into a false sense of security that Spring has arrived it turns cold and foggy again and they are even predicting more snow for the weekend. I really have had enough of winter now. I want to get in the garden and get things sorted and start my new project for me little bit of nature for the bees. So many plans in my head that haven't even started all due to the weather. On the plus side though we are seeing more daylight. Shouldn't be too much longer before it's light when I leave work....how I miss the summer evenings! Well I guess that's about it for now. I have lots more to say but I guess spreading it out might be a better option and give me more reason to sit down at the computer more frequently. Here's hoping the weather man is wrong and we are in for a sunny weekend!!.

18 comments:

I don't think it's going to be sunny here, we're in for a weekend of rain so work on the plot will have to go on hold again. Your allotment looks to be in good shape, and what a great haul of carrots, I'm really hoping that I manage some sort of carrot harvest this year.

It's not looking too bad for the time of year Jo. Have you ever sown carrots in tubs?? If not you should try one lot...if they don't germinate then just forget to empty them out at the end of the season...at least that's how I got mine!!

No excuses necessary, it's just good to see you back. The weather has been up and down here too. We get rid of the snow, see a day of sunshine then get hit with cold and more snow. I'm so ready for spring

Thanks Ann. Like I said in my comment on your blog it is really good to be back and I do miss catching up with everyone and writing...I don't even really know what it is that keeps me away at times. Well hopefully will be getting more frequent now with the changing weather.

Dearest Tanya, I am trying to my best to visit and get things back together. The house is getting back together very slowly but nonetheless slow is better than not. I don't have a kitchen yet but hopefully that will come soon. So many had it much worse than myself. Some people had to knock the whole house down. I did have to gut the house, but things could always be worse. I am not complaining I really feel very blessed for all the kindness and good thoughts from all of my blogging friends. I too am looking forward to the nice weather. I am not sure that I will be able to plant in the ground this year because of the storm. There were many boats that tipped over and so much fuel was covering the ground, I am not sure it is safe. I will plant in garden pots. I hope this doesn't happen again but my heart says it will. The tides seem to be flooding the streets a lot. I heard it is because the storm broke the barrier beach that protects from the flooding. I think I will use the philosophy of Scarlett O'Hara and worry about it tomorrow. It is so nice to read your post and visit with you. I look forward to the longer days too. Tomorrow is daylight savings here. I have missed you and I hope that all is well with you. I am sorry if I went on, but I have so much to tell you. I will write more next visit. Blessings and xoxo, Catherine

We have daylight savings at the end of this month and I am really looking forwar to that!!

I hope they build up the barriers again to give you more peace of mind, but I think you are having a good philosophy on the matter, after all it does us no good to worry about the 'what ifs', we need to enjoy what we have whilst we have it and make the best out of what we are given. It's nice to see you around again and I always look forward to your posts and comments. Best wishes to you and my love to Tammy. xx

I know spring will come eventually Ratty but it always seems to take far too long....This time of year sees me getting very impatient as I am more than ready to have some sun on my skin and fresh air in my lungs!!

Sometimes I feel the same Tanya...it's tough sometimes to fit in time to blog AND to get around to catch up with everyone else. Oh well :)

Your allotment looks tidy and ready to start a new year of growing! I find it easier to imagine where everything will be planted if there's still a bit left growing this time of year. My Celeriac is still in and though a few look a bit spindly some of them have really swollen up over the winter. Not bad since I thought they were a write off.

Though I'm far from a brussels sprouts expert I found that the plants that formed tight rosettes for me this winter were the ones that I stamped in really well. The others were a bit flimsier and a waste really.

It's all learning though and I look forward to seeing your gardening progress this year (so don't worry about abandonment!) :) xx